Higher Vegetable Intake Equals Lower Blood Pressure

Eating a more vegetable-based diet is one of the best ways to lower your blood pressure, reports the January 2005 issue of Nutrition Reviews. Researchers conducted a Medline (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD) search for studies published on the relationship between vegetarian diets and blood pressure in adults and determined that both observational and random-controlled studies show that a vegetarian diet is one of the best ways to regulate blood pressure. Many studies suggest a vegetarian diet may help keep blood pressure in a healthy range by keeping potassium, magnesium, and calcium intake at an optimal level. Even if you're not ready to become a vegetarian, this study should prompt you to eat more blood pressure friendly foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. The review also acknowledged the greater importance of diet and lifestyle over hereditary factors when it comes to blood pressure.